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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bear — the animal
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. present — there
  7. cue — a signal
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rest — what's left
  11. present — a gift
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. rule — a law
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. cue — a hint
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. cue — for pool
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rest — a break
  20. rule — government
  21. present — the time now
  22. pit — in a race
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com